Emergency Contact
by drisles
Summary: After an accident, Maura and Jane meet in a hospital.
1. Chapter 1

The hospital is eerily quiet as Jane walks down the sterile hallway towards the nurses station; the heel of her boots click loudly against the linoleum.

She waits patiently for the nurse, whose name badge reads _Melissa,_ to finish her phone conversation and look at her before speaking.

"I'm here to see, um," Jane glances down at the piece of paper in her hand, "Maura Isles."

"And you are?" Melissa asks.

"Jane Rizzoli," she answers and quickly sweeps the fabric of her blazer to the side, flashing her badge. "Detective."

The woman glances from the badge to Jane's face. "I haven't been notified of any suspicious activity related to the patient's injuries, detective."

"Sorry," Jane replies, shaking her head. "Habit. I'm not here on police business."

Melissa raises an eyebrow. "Well then, what can I help you with?"

"I'm here to see Maura Isles," Jane repeats. "I'm her emergency contact." She recites her phone number and waits for Melissa to verify that she is indeed listed as the emergency contact. Well, sort of.

Melissa grabs a clipboard from behind the counter and motions for Jane to follow her as she begins walking down a different hallway than the one Jane had come through earlier. "Right this way, detective."

They walk in silence, turning left and right until Jane is certain she won't be able to find her way back to the entrance. She almost bumps into Melissa as she abruptly stops in front of their destination.

"She just got out of surgery. I would expect her to be waking up within the next hour or so﹣"

"Jesus," Jane interrupts as she catches sight of the woman in the hospital bed. "What happened?"

"Car accident. Four vehicles involved. From what I've been told, Dr. Isles here was hit when a car traveling in the opposite direction hit a patch of black ice, lost control of their vehicle and swerved into oncoming traffic."

"Oncoming traffic meaning her?" Jane asks, gesturing to Maura.

The nurse nods.

"Casualties?"

"One." A sad expression casts over her features. "I'm sorry, _two_."

The two of them are quiet for a moment, watching the monitors and listening to the rhythmic beeping. Neither speak until Melissa is interrupted by her pager. "Excuse me," she says and walks towards the door.

"Hey, wait," Jane calls out.

The young woman is moving so fast, her sneakers squeak as she comes to a halt.

"If... when she wakes up, what should I do?"

Melissa gives her a small smile. "Hit that call button," she instructs, pointing to the device near Maura's bed. Before Jane can ask what she should say, the nurse is already out the door.

Jane looks back at the bed, suddenly feeling terribly out of place. She sighs heavily and presses her thumbs into recently healed scar tissue before sitting on a chair beside the bed. She takes the opportunity to study the woman next to her and makes mental notes of the injuries visible. Fresh stitches hold together a line of broken skin across her right cheek bone and up to her hairline. The skin beneath both eyes had already begun to discolor and swell with dark shades of purple. Most likely from the airbags, Jane thinks. Small cuts and bruises form patterns along Maura's chest, arms and hands. She's afraid to uncover the injuries hiding beneath the hospital gown.

Jane isn't sure how long she has been sitting at Maura's bedside when her phone buzzes loudly, pulling her from her daze. She reads the caller ID and decides to take it, answering quietly before stepping outside.

When she returns minutes later, Maura is struggling to sit up.

"Hey," Jane nearly yells, "easy." She rushes to the bedside and rests a hand on Maura's shoulder, easing her back down. Jane is about to press the call button when she feels a gentle squeeze on her wrist. She looks down at Maura who is visibly in pain, eyes wide.

"Wait," Maura's quiet, scratchy voice instructs.

"Let me just page the nurse," Jane replies, but another squeeze to her arm tells her to stop.

"Please... just tell me what happened," she says before closing her eyes.

Jane sighs and sits on the edge of the bed. "I don't know much," she admits. "The nurse said you were in a car accident."

"What are my injuries?" Maura asks, eyelids fluttering open to look at Jane.

"From what I can see, you have stitches on your cheek, some pretty wicked bruising and swelling around your nose and under your eyes. But that's about all I can tell you."

Maura nods before taking a deep breath. Or at least, attempts to. She makes a noise of discomfort and takes a few quick breaths. Jane can tell by Maura's reaction that it was a painful move.

"Fractured ribs," Maura says after a moment. She closes her eyes once again as she tries to asses other injuries. Jane takes the opportunity to press the call button before resuming her position on the edge of the bed. She catches Maura looking at her. Analyzing her.

"Did the doctor say anything about a head injury?" Maura asks. "Is that why I don't recognize you?"

Jane smiles.

"I haven't talked to your doctor, but head injury or not, you wouldn't recognize me."

Maura's swollen face wrinkles in confusion.

"We've never met before?"

Jane shakes her head.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm listed as your emergency contact."

"What?"

"Well, my _number_ is. I was assigned a new phone after..." her voice trails off as she looks down at her hands and rubs them together nervously. Maura follows her line of sight and when Jane notices her looking at her scars, she quickly shoves them between her legs. She clears her throat. "Um, anyway. I guess whoever had the number before must've﹣"

Her explanation is cut short by a knock on the door from Maura's doctor.

"Well hello there, Dr. Isles," the woman says cheerfully. "Glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

Maura smiles apologetically at Jane before directing her attention to the doctor.

"I feel a headache coming on. And it's quite painful when I breath. Fractured ribs?" she asks.

The doctor smiles and nods. "Three of them," she confirms and begins to explain the extent of Maura's other injuries, recovery time, etc. Jane feels like she's intruding on her privacy, but not enough to get up and leave.

"And the accident?" Maura asks, reminding Jane that she still doesn't know what happened to her. Jane listens as the doctor retells the story.

"Casualties?" Maura asks nervously.

The doctor nods again. "The driver of the car that hit you was killed on impact. You're lucky, Dr. Isles. It could've been a lot worse."

While she appreciates the sentiment, Maura is not comforted by the statement.

"Well, that's ev﹣"

"Wait," Jane interrupts, surprising both doctors. They each look at her.

"Melissa, the nurse who was in here earlier, said there were two casualties. Did the other pull through?"

The doctor looks confused and glances down at her notes before realization hits, taking on a sullen expression.

"I suppose it depends on how you look at it, but," she glances from Jane back to Maura. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this Dr. Isles, but the baby didn't make it."

Jane looks down at Maura. Confusion is evident in her features.

"Baby? What baby?"

The doctor looks at Jane. "She didn't know?"

"Didn't know what?" Jane pushes.

The doctor looks visibly distraught as she turns her attention to Maura.

"You were just over six weeks pregnant."

" _Shit_ ," Jane exhales.

"What?" is all Maura can say. Her tone, her face, her _everything_ makes Jane want to wrap the woman in a hug. She instead opts to reach out for her hand. It's awkward and out of character for her, but she can't help but try to offer some support.

"I'm so sorry. A nurse will be by shortly to administer another dose of pain medication. It will help make breathing a little easier for you," the doctor says before exiting the room.

It's quiet for a long time and Jane struggles with Maura's unreadable expression. She squeezes the hand in her own and waits.

The action seems to pull Maura from a daze; her free hand subconsciously goes to rest on her lower abdomen. Her fingers flex protectively.

She starts to cry.

The sight is so heartbreaking, Jane can't decipher the tears of pain from the tears of distress. Maybe there isn't a difference. She lets Maura cry until it's clear that the emotional release is causing too much distress to Maura's injuries.

"Easy," Jane says softly as she gently brushes hair away from Maura's face. She isn't sure where the sudden urge to comfort came from, but she's grateful for it. "I know it hurts," she pauses, "all of it, but just breathe for me. Alright?"

Maura looks up at her with watery eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She gives a small nod before focusing her attention on breathing.

"There we go," Jane says after a few calming breaths. She's a bit thrown off by this nurturing side of herself, but it doesn't stop her from gently swiping the pad of her thumb beneath each eye, careful to avoid the path of stitches. Feeling Maura's eyes on her, watching her closely, she attempts to lighten the mood.

"Those tears can't be good for your stitches."

"Actually," Maura replies in a voice that's quiet and tired, "the salt produced in tears can be helpful in disinfecting wounds."

"So next time I'm injured I should literally just cry over it?" Jane asks jokingly and is rewarded with a small smile that she can't help but return.

The room once again falls quiet.

"Is there anyone I can call?" Jane asks. "Your actual emergency contact? Boyfriend, parents, whoever?"

Maura carefully shakes her head.

Jane doesn't question her, but Maura explains anyway.

"It's... complicated."

"Ok," Jane replies simply. "No more questions."

"I have one," Maura says softly.

"Shoot."

"How do you grieve the loss of something you never even knew you had?" Her voice cracks with emotion.

The way she asks it makes Jane want to cry. Reaching for Maura's hand, she holds it protectively between her own and says, "Look, I'm not gonna to tell you everything's going to be ok when I don't know that it will be, but I _am_ here for you. I mean, know we don't really know each other, but… I'm here, if you want me to be."

Maura's crying again, but something tells Jane it's for a different reason entirely.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because I know what it's like to wake up and feel like you'll never be the same again," Jane admits honestly. She feels on of Maura's thumbs grazing over the scar tissue on her palm. The sensation makes her flinch, but she doesn't pull away.

"Your hands," Maura says. A question and answer all in one.

Jane nods and looks down, surprised by the comfort she feels from the way Maura is massaging her palm.

"What happened?" Maura questions. Her tone cautious, but curious.

Jane's gut reaction is to say _none of your damn business_ , but when she looks up and is greeted with Maura's face ﹣ all honest and gentle and free of judgement ﹣ she instead replies with: "It's kind of a long story."

Maura looks around the room, as if to say, _I don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon._

She smiles at Jane.

"I've got time."


	2. Chapter 2

Jane never did finish the story. _Story_ , she scoffs, _like it's some kind of happy bedtime tale_. She shakes her head and glances at the clock on her nightstand, bright flashing numbers indicating the time: 3:27 AM. She rolls onto her stomach and puts a pillow over head, trying (and failing) to stop thinking about the events of last night. She doesn't understand why it's all affected her so much.

 _I've got time,_ Maura had told her and waited patiently for Jane to open up. And, to Jane's surprise, she did. The words spilled from her mouth about that night, about… _him_. She had only managed to cover the background information when a nurse entered the room to inject Maura with another dose of medication. Within minutes, she was fast asleep. Jane knew she should've gone home then, but she couldn't pull herself away. Instead she sat down on the hard plastic of the hospital chair, squeezed the hand beneath hers and waited.

Well, waited until she was asked to leave.

"Miss," a nurse had tapped her on the shoulder, startling her awake. She hadn't remembered falling asleep. "I'm sorry to wake you, but visiting hours are over."

With a regretful glance at the woman asleep in the bed, Jane grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair and left. The drive home had been a complete blur.

xxxx

The next day at work, Jane can't focus. Her hands ache and her mind wanders. Unfortunately, her boss notices this and sends her home to take a personal. For the first time in her career, she doesn't fight it.

Instead of driving home, she ends up at the hospital. She gets lost three times before finally asking for directions to Maura's room.

When she reaches the door, she takes a deep breath and tries to convince herself that she's not crazy. _You don't even know this woman! What are you doing?!_ She almost decides against it when Maura's face, the moment the doctor had told her about the baby, flashes through her mind. _Just do it, Rizzoli._ She knocks lightly on the door to announce her arrival and steps past the threshold.

The look of genuine surprise and… _gratitude_? that Maura greets her with let's Jane know her decision to come here had been worth the risk of embarrassment.

"Hey," Jane says as she takes a small step into the room. "Is it alright if I come in?"

"Of course, yes," Maura replies, "come in."

Jane walks up to the bed, taking a seat in the chair she had spent most of the previous evening on.

"What's in your hand?" Maura asks, pointing.

"Huh? Oh." Jane looks down. "Right, um... I might've stolen these off one of the nurse's carts." She grins, holding out one of two jello cups to Maura. "It's cherry, my favorite."

"Thank you." Maura takes the cup and plastic spoon without protest. She watches as Jane removes the lid and takes a bite.

"What?" Jane asks, feeling Maura's eyes on her. "Do I have something on my face?" She brings her hand to her mouth.

"No." Maura smiles. "I was just… what are you doing here?"

"Oh." Jane suddenly feels like an idiot. "I just thought－you know what, never mind." She stands abruptly. "This was bad idea, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Wait!"

Jane turns around.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like you're not welcome, I'm just surprised to see you, that's all. I'm not used to people－" she shakes her head. "I'm sorry. Please. Stay." She gestures towards the chair, her eyes pleading with Jane.

"You're not used to people?" Jane cracks a smile as she sits back down on the chair. Maura looks visibly relieved.

"Honestly? Not really," she admits quietly. "And I'm certainly not used to people going out of their way for me."

Jane responds to the heartbreaking confession in the only way she knows how. With humor. "Oh, this wasn't out of the way. I pass this place everyday on my way to work. In fact, it's my favorite lunch stop." She holds up the pack of jello. She cracks a smile and watches as a laugh bubbles from Maura's throat. Even with a face that's black and blue and covered in stitches, Maura looks… beautiful.

Jane blushes at the thought and takes another bite of jello to distract herself.

The two are quiet for while, both content to sit and finish their sugary treats. When Maura takes her last bite, the detective reaches out to grab the empty cup and spoon from her hands and tosses them in the trash.

"What?" Jane asks after Maura gives her a quizzical look.

"I've just realized something. I don't know your name."

"What?" Jane thinks back to last night. Had she really gone the entire evening without introducing herself?

Maura laughs, seeming to read Jane's mind. "I know, it doesn't seem possible after… everything." Her voice is quiet.

"Jane. My name's Jane. And you are?"

Maura's brow furrows. "You know my name."

"I do, but that's only because the nurses told me. But you haven't properly introduced yourself."

Maura tilts her head, studying Jane before smiling. She holds out her hand in greeting, "Maura Isles."

Jane takes the proffered hand and shakes it firmly. "Nice to meet you, Maura Isles."

"It's nice to meet you too, Jane."

The way Maura says her name makes Jane feel giddy.

"So," the brunette says after a while. "How are you feeling?" Maura looks down at her hands, fidgeting by rubbing her fingers over her knuckles.

"Physically, I feel a little bit better. Although I think that's only because of the medication they're giving me." The smile she offers Jane doesn't reach her eyes. "Emotionally, I feel sort of in a daze. I feel… numb." She quickly looks up at Jane and Jane looks down at their entwined fingers. _When did that happen?_ she wonders. She moves to pull away, but is stopped by a squeeze from Maura's hand.

She doesn't move. Simply waits for Maura to continue.

"It's difficult to wrap my mind around it all," she sighs. "One minute I'm driving to the grocery store and the next…" her voice trails off. She doesn't need to finish the sentence. Jane knows.

Again, they fall quiet.

"Oh!" Maura gasps, startling Jane to her feet.

"What? What is it, are you alright?" Jane hovers over her, scanning for injury, hand ready to press the call button.

"I'm fine, sorry," she pauses and Jane puts a hand to her chest and sits back down. _When the hell did I get so jumpy?_ "I've only just remembered why I had to go the grocery store last night."

"To get food?" Jane can't help but chime in sarcastically.

Maura doesn't give her the satisfaction of laughing. "Obviously," she replies, "but not for me. For Bass." Her face is suddenly wincing in distress. "Oh he must be starving," she starts to panic, causing the machines in the room to beep faster. "And I've still got at least another day and half left in here－"

"Hey, whoa. Calm down," Jane interrupts, "rewind a minute, who's Bass?"

"My tortoise."

"Your tortoise?"

"Yes, I've had him since he was this big," she says with a hand gesture, indicating just how big _this_ was. "Oh, he's probably so anxious right now." She turns her head to look at Jane. "He gets so fussy when his routine is altered."

"Your _tortoise_ gets fussy ?" Jane asks again, her face unable to mask her disbelief. _Can a tortoise really be in distress?_

"Don't look at me like that! Like I'm some kind of crazy person."

Jane laughs, head shaking. "I don't think you're crazy, I just…" she watches as Maura's eyes begin to fill with tears. "Ok, ok! I believe you! Bass. Anxious. Needs food. Got it. Ok, so what can I do? Who can I call?"

"What?" Maura sniffles.

"Who can I call to come over and feed your turtle?"

"Tortoise."

"Maura," she says, exasperated. "Come on, give me a number." She reaches into her pocket for her phone and looks up at Maura expectantly.

Maura glances from the phone in Jane's hands to her face. "I－," she starts to say, but doesn't continue. She looks embarrassed, Jane thinks.

And then she remembers their conversation from last night.

 _"Is there anyone I can call? Your actual emergency contact? Boyfriend, parents, whoever?"_

 _Maura had shaken her head, "It's... complicated."_

 _"Ok. No more questions."_

Thinking quickly she says, "I'll do it."

"What?" Maura looks at her, eyes wide and hopeful.

"I'll feed your tortoise. I'll just swing by the store on my way home and－"

"You would do that for me?" Maura interrupts, her voice sounding like she might cry over the thoughtful gesture.

Jane smiles, despite the sadness she feels for the woman. "Of course. But only if you're ok with a stranger going to your house."

"It's odd, isn't it?" Maura starts on a seemingly unrelated note. "You don't feel like a stranger at all."

"Yeah," Jane rubs the back of her neck, "I know what you mean. It is strange. But good, too. Right?"

Maura nods. "Yes."

"Alright then, so it's settled."

Before Jane can ask what the hell a turtle eats, the nurse from last night enters the room. "Hey Sarah," Jane greets her. The woman looks surprised.

"Hello… um…"

"Jane," she holds out her hand. "Don't worry about it. I've got this weird knack for remembering names and faces."

The nurse smiles. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she looks at Maura, "but you're due for another dose."

"I'll be asleep in five minutes, won't I?" Maura asks.

"I'm afraid so."

Maura pouts at the answer. Actually pouts! Jane bites her lip to keep from laughing.

"It's alright," Jane squeezes Maura's hand. "I'll visit tomorrow?" She doesn't intend for it to sound like a question. "I mean, I've gotta let you know how my date with Bass goes, right?"

Maura grins. Her face beaming with gratitude. "Of course."

Sarah clears her throat.

"Sorry!" Jane jolts into action, grabbing her phone and jacket and－ "Oh wait," she looks around, spotting a pen and a pad of paper on the station next to Maura's bed. "Here," she hands it the woman, "write down what I need to buy at the store and oh! Your address, too." She pauses. "And a code for the garage or whatever I need to do to get in your house."

Maura nods and she writes quickly. "Yes, you can get in through the garage." She hands the piece of paper to Jane and Sarah steps over to the bed, getting ready to administer the pain reliever.

Jane looks at Sarah, then to Maura. She holds up her hand, waves and heads for the door.

She's nearly out of the room when Maura yells: "Jane!"

The detective turns on her heel. "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Of course, Maura."

"I mean it, Jane. Thank you. For everything. I really do appreciate it."

Jane smiles broadly, dimples popping.

"I know."


End file.
